W2NPT The Resonator
Official Newsletter of The Fair Lawn (NJ) Amateur Radio Club
Volume 4, Number 2 www.FairLawnARC.org February 2019
From The President: Member Profile
To FLARC members: NAME: Jim Joyce CALL: K2ZO
What do you do/what did you do for a living? I am happy to announce that the club will be
opening up on Thursday nights starting February I was in engineering sales and worked on process 7th. Two goals of this night are to make the club control and automation in power plants, chemical available for people who cannot participate on plants, refineries, and pipe lines. Friday nights along with supporting the training classes we are offering. This year we will continue I retired early and then became an adjunct professor with our CW classes being taught by Fred W2AAB at Stevens in the chemical engineering dept.
and George W3EH. There is no requirement to build How did you get interested in ham radio?
any code oscillators and it is open to all. Watch for email traffic from them as to when the class I had a friend who's father was a ham and worked with
sessions will occur on Thursday nights. him to learn the code but never progressed to the point of getting a license. Station 5 has been set up with an interesting radio I took my Novice test in 1963 when I was in the army from the 80s -- the venerable Kenwood TS-830s at radio operator school , most of the instructors were Hybrid (no it's not a Prius)! Through donations to hams, I am probably one of the few people who took a the club from Glenn KB2MDR and Dave NK2Q, along Novice code test at 20 WPM. with some restoration by yours truly, we have it up In 1964 I took all of the FCC tests at the FCC office in and running. Ask someone familiar with operating NY. Extra to commercial including the commercial the radio if you are interested in trying out a rig that is still very capable but nearly 40 years old. radio telegraph. My first call was WN2MEE in 1963 then WB2MEE in 1964 and in 1974 I got K2ZO.
Continued on Page 36 What parts of the hobby most interest you?
I N S I D E T H I S I SSUE Rag chewing, building antennas, Repairing and up grading amplifiers and Field Day. I enjoy working DX 1 President's Message but don't take it too seriously.
1 Member Profile -- Jim Joyce K2ZO What does belonging to FLARC mean to you?
2 FL RACES Corner I enjoy the getting together with the members and just
discussing ham radio.
7 Ham Lite Brian KD2KLN How do you/can you better contribute to the club? 34 SAVE THE DATE-- March 15 Joe Taylor K1JT Not sure --
you are doing a great job at the present time. Continued on page 4.
The Only Newsletter In The World That Gives A Damn About FLARC www.FairLawnARC.org Page 1
Continued on page 4. Club Apparel Is Here!
The Club Fair Lawn ARC is the fastest growing ham club Fair Lawn RACES Corner around, with five operating positions in a permanent clubhouse. Visitors and guests are always welcome. The club is open every Friday night from NLT 6:30 PM. Business meetings are the first Friday of the month at 7:30PM.
2018 Officers, Committees and Assignments
President Brad Kerber KM2C Vice President Lowell Van't Slot W2DLT
Treasurer Al Rasmussen WA2OWL
Secretary Randy Smith WU2S There's lots of happenings at The Fair Lawn Radio Trustee J Cooper W2JC Amateur Civil Emergency Service (FL-RACES) these Trustee Skip Barker KD2BRV days and this is because of the volunteers like you Trustee Don Cassarini N2PRT that make this organization what it is today. Here is Field Day Steve Wraga WA2BYX a brief summary of our happenings: Member Services Judith Shaw KC2LTM On Wednesday, January 9th and Wednesday, Publicity Ed Efchak WX2R Publicity Gene Ottenheimer WO2W January 23rd, FL-RACES was the Net Control Station for the BC-RACES Net for the first and second time Publicity Susan Frank W6SKT in our history!! We operated from the Fair Lawn Amateur Radio Club and all went rather smoothly. Program Lowell Vant Slot W2DLT Ed WX2R and Randy WU2S were the scribes for the Publicity Karl Frank W2KBF Nets and David KD2MOB was the NCS Operator. Publicity Brad Kerber (ex officio) KM2C Dennis Kurta KB2TLG, Assistant Director of BC- Social Media Dave Marotti NK2Q RACES visited our Station for the Net on January 9th Video/YouTube Thom Guida W2NZ and thanked us for the dedication to radio VE Liaison Gene Ottenheimer WO2W emergency services we provide. We were pleased to have Dennis KB2TLG over as our guest. VE Liaison Pete Senesi KD2BMX
Education Gordon Beattie W2TTT As a reminder, the Bergen County RACES nets are Education Randy Smith WU2S held on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays every month
Education John L. Howard KD2NRS at 1945 and various towns host these nets Education Fred Wawra W2ABE throughout the year. Two repeaters are utilized for History Fred Belghaus W2AAB these nets - Paramus, NJ (RX 146.79 / TX 146.19, PL Health and Welfare Judith Shaw KC2LTM TX Tone 141.3) and Franklin Lakes, NJ (RX 146.79 / Photographer Don Cassarini N2PRT TX 146.19, PL TX Tone 162.2). The Franklin Lakes W2NPT Trustee Paul Cornett W2IP repeater is the primary repeater.
Technical Paul Cornett W2IP Our next FL-RACES KB2FLR net will take place Technical Randy Smith WU2S on Wednesday, February 13th at 1900 hours. The Technical Fred Wawra W2ABE Fair Lawn ARC Repeater is used (RX 145.47 MHz / TX RACES Director Dave Gotlib KD2MOB 144.87, PL TX Tone 167.9 Hz). Thank you to the Fair RACES Liaison Steve Wraga WA2BYX Lawn Amateur Radio Club for permitting FL-RACES for using the repeater.
Newsletter Editor Ed Efchak WX2R FL-RACES will be the Net Control Station once again on Wednesday, March 27th for the BC-RACES Net.
FL Town Liaison Gene Ottenheimer WO2W
Net Scheduler Brian Cirulnick KD2KLN Continued on page 34. Quartermaster Brian Cirulnick KD2KLN
The Only Newsletter In The World That Gives A Damn About FLARC www.FairLawnARC.org Page 2
MASTER EVENT CALENDAR
2019 Activities
February 9th FLARC VEC License Testing /Recreation Center (0930) February 15, 2019 Report on the 2019 FLARC Member Survey (at FLARC - All Invited) March 15, 2019 Joe Taylor K1JT "Using FT8 and Recent Improvements" (at Sr.Center) John Hale KD2LPM and others April 19, 2019 "The Garden School ARC and Developing Young Hams" (at Sr.Center) April 2019 "Earth Day At Great Falls National Historical Park" Date TBD May 4, 2019 Garretson House 300th Anniversary Special Event Station May 2019 Portable Day/Mini Fox Hunt With BARA TBD May 17, 2019 RSGB Propagation Workshop or TBD June 9, 2019 Fair Lawn Street Fair (Radburn) August 2019 FLARC Vintage Night II (at FLARC) October 20, 2019 Fair Lawn Street Fair (River Road) "Bring Your Own Boat Anchor" -- TBD An evening of storytelling and demonstrations TBA W1TP Enigma Presentation w/Fair Lawn Public Library
FLARC VEC Exams
Our next test sessions are scheduled for Saturday, February 9th beginning at 09:30 at the Community
Center. No advanced registration is required but always appreciated. The fee is $15.00 (cash or check).
Hidetsugu Yagi's 130th Birthday Google Doodle Please bring positive identification (license, passport,
etc.), your original license and a copy, original CSCE
Follow FLARC ON THE WEB and a copy (if credit is needed).
Facebook: http://facebook.FairLawnARC.org The full exam schedule is on the club calendar at the
FairLawnARC.org website. For further information Twitter: @FairLawnARC contact [email protected].
Blog: http://blog.FairLawnARC.org Please refer also to the "License Exams" link
on the main website-- Youtube: http://youtube.FairLawnARC.org
http://testing.FairLawnARC.org Website: http://FairLawnARC.org
We appreciate your support of the Fair Lawn Amateur Radio Club!
This is your Club! Be part of it!
The Only Newsletter In The World That Gives A Damn About FLARC www.FairLawnARC.org Page 3
Member Profile (Continued) Please Note: Operating W2NPT
What else can you tell the club about yourself Starting in January club trustees will have sign-in and/or ham radio? sheets for all operating positions. There is a clipboard at Operating Position #1, #2 (digital) and #4 with a I have been licensed for 56 years and have been an form on which to sign up for half-hour time slots. No ARRL member for 55 years and a life member for 48 longer first come-first served, in fairness to all who years, it was $100 for life membership then . I am want to use our club equipment and the new currently an ARRL assistant Director in the Hudson antennas. More details to follow. Division.
What other ham related clubs or organizations do Get Direct With FLARC! you belong to? Here is a direct link to specific club info: just a click away!
http://apparel.FairLawnARC.org BARA, Radio Club of America and QCWA. http://auction.FairLawnARC.org http://blog.FairLawnARC.org http://calendar.FairLawnARC.org http://events.FairLawnARC.org http://exams.FairLawnARC.org http://facebook.FairLawnARC.org http://testing.FairLawnARC.org http://news.FairLawnARC.org http://swap.FairLawnARC.org http://tech.FairLawnARC.org http://youtube.FairLawnARC.org
NEW ! https://groups.io/g/FairLawnARC
Jim K2ZO
FLARC Now Open On Thursday Evenings!! January 2019 Blog Traffic The "soft launch" went off without a hitch on January 31 January has gotten off to a slow start both in page views with Brad KM2C leading a class on soldering. We're with also a decrease in visitors... maybe the algorithms open for business every Thursday! have changed or the bots have gone south for the Winter.
Here is the data:
January January Change 2019 2018 Views 453 550 -18% Visitors 175 311 -43% Posts 16 13 +23%
There is new content nearly every day so it's really worth the look to both FairLawnARC.org and the blog. http://blog.FairLawnARC.org
Brad KM2C opens the clubhouse for the first Thursday session.
The Only Newsletter In The World That Gives A Damn About FLARC www.FairLawnARC.org Page 4 A Great Contest Weekend! Club Apparel Is Here!!
Wow - FLARC was humming all the weekend of January Club apparel is always in vogue. Red is always in and 18! With the North American QSO Party and the ARRL your club friends all have them... you want a shirt or VHF contest, lots of points were flying around. And we jacket for the next FLARC event! were so glad it added up to a fine total. Don't forget.... they're easy to order. We didn't get the contest going until well after 2PM because we were visited by about 40 Boy Scouts and Go to www.hamthreads.com or visit http://apparel.FairLawnARC.org to check out the their leaders, who were working on their Radio merit item selection that is posted on the FLARC website (with badge - but that's what we're here for too. pictures and prices). Order the shirts or other items you
We had to close up the club at 9PM, so we only operated want with either the regular FLARC logo or the still-cool 60th anniversary logo. 7 of the available 12 hours (for the NA QSO party).
Note:
We combined two contests and managed to make a RED is the primary and preferred club brand standard shirt color. bunch of contacts on the VHF contest at position 2.
Observations: the antennas are a dream.... People
actually answered us, sometimes even on the first call.
We had runs going on both 40 and 20 all day long.
We had a number of new operators and they were learning from other club members. So we had a very successful weekend - and I got home OK in the blinding snowstorm (2.5 hrs).
DE Van W2DLT.
It's About Us... Dave NK2Q proudly wears the FLARC colors!! The 2019 FLARC Member Survey
From an amazing 102 returned questionnaires during Congratulations! January, Ed WX2R will walk us through the findings and Pete (KD2BMX) reports the results of the January 12, recommendations on Friday, February 15, at 7PM in 2019 FLARC VEC Amateur Radio Exam Sessions: the Teen Room of the Recreation Center.
Total Number of Candidates served: 3 This year's survey looks at member interests and Congrats to those who passed!! opportunities to help grow what has become New Jersey's largest amateur radio club based on 2018 paid Name Call License Earned membership data. Renaldo Sanchez KD2RBW General Eric Velthaus KD2RHG Technician The presentation will also include a discussion of future direction for the club -- a chance to plan our future and get as many club members involved who wish to be.
So come learn and contribute -- it's about us.
The Only Newsletter In The World That Gives A Damn About FLARC www.FairLawnARC.org Page 5
Winter Field Day 2019 Scouts At FLARC
It was definitely colder than last year! On Saturday, January 18, Gordon W2TTT led a group of scouts to the FLARC clubhouse to work on their With a cold Saturday, a Sunday morning low of 23F but amateur radio merit badges. He was assisted by Zack a "Spring like" Sunday morning near 40F, WFD 2019 KC2RSS in helping them design and build a number of was a lot of fun under quite interesting operating projects. conditions at Memorial Field on January 26-27. Gordon is extensively involved in local scouting Brad KM2C and John KD2LJH burned the overnight activities as well as EMCOMM duties. propane and kerosene. Dave KD2JIP set up a QTP pup tent on the ball field and I think everyone had a quite good time. Thanks to the following members who operated and/or helped with set-up and take- down (or both) during the weekend:
Brad KM2C Bennett KO2OK Don N2PRT Fred W2AAB John W2JLH Steve WI2W Dave KD2JIP Matt K2FTP Noel W2MSA Ed WX2R Gordon W2TTT leads the scouts in learning while Zack KC2RSS (R) assists on 18 January And a thanks to our guests and/or visitors:
Tony N2SIQ Dave KD2MOB Gaining Experience Roz KD2GKA In Local Traffic Handling Mike KC2ZX Gary N2DVL Ray (he did pass his Tech exam!) Karl W2KBF reports that The New Jersey Narrow Jim Frangione (former military radio operator) Band Emergency Messaging System Net (NJ- NBEMS) meets every Sunday at 9:30 AM on The club received the full bonus point scores for 3.584.5 MHz USB. Digital Mode is THOR-22 emergency power, operating outdoors, and satellite (available in FL-DIGI). contact. We ran two operating stations -- inside our tent and within Brad's trailer. The purpose of this net is to gain practice in handling of emergency messaging via Amateur It felt like cheating when we heard guys from SFL Radio. There is no requirement to be a member (South Florida) working "O" (Outside) while we were of ARES or RACES . . . all are welcome. freezing our resistors off. And with not many "O"'s heard above the Mason-Dixon line, we should be Questions may be directed to NCS proud. We played in the true spirit of WFD... no "H" Bill, [email protected] or Karl, [email protected]. (house) or "I" (indoors) for FLARC!
Continued on page 35.
The Only Newsletter In The World That Gives A Damn About FLARC www.FairLawnARC.org Page 6
Dues Are Due Ham Lite by Brian (KD2KLN)
Get a jump on the calendar and send in your 2019 dues. Renewals are $25 and are the best value in amateur radio clubs around. Don't forget to include an application form, which can be found on the website.
http://membership.FairLawnARC.org
2019 Officers and Trustees
President : Brad KM2C Vice President: Van W2DLT Secretary: Randy WU2S Treasurer: Al WA2OWL
Trustee thru 2019: Jim W2JC Trustee thru 2020: Skip WA2BRV NEW! A new gathering place for club members has been Trustee thru 2021: Don N2PRT set up on the Groups.io service ... Why another group? It has more features than our current WordPress 'blog' and allows members to select what and how they receive BEQUEATHS AND DONATIONS emails. This group might eventually replace our current blog. If you haven't signed up yet, check it out and sign up! Planned gifts usually imply the family donation of amateur equipment to the club when someone has become a Silent Key. https://groups.io/g/FairLawnARC But it can be more. Club members might consider making a gift through a will or trust; gifts that help provide lifetime income to Interested in Chasing DX? the club. Consult with your lawyer, estate planner or tax advisor A casual group of FLARCers including Van W2DLT, if you feel such as gift is worthy. John KD2NRS, Brad KM2C, Karl W2KBF, Nomar NP4H, Steve WI2W, Larry WA2ALY, Fred W2AAB, and Jim About The Club W2JC have formed an email group to keep each other in touch in (real) time of when the rare or interesting The Resonator is published monthly and is the official (and ones show up to chase. Interested? See or contact only) newsletter of The Fair Lawn Amateur Radio Club. Van W2DLT or Jim W2JC. FLARC was established in 1956 and has met continuously since inception. The club is sponsored by the Borough of Fair Lawn. The club meets every Friday at 6PM at the club station in The Fair Lawn Community Center, 10-10 20th Street, Fair Lawn, NJ. Business meetings are the first Friday of the month at 7:30 PM. FAIR LAWN'S Visitors ARE ALWAYS welcome at our meetings. MINISTRY OF TECHNOLOGY! With New Antennas On The Roof! FLARC operates the W2NPT repeater (145.470- PL 167.9) located high atop the Community Center. The analog repeater is open to all amateurs for use without restrictions.
The club has over one hundred paid members. Dues are currently $25 per year/$20 for new members.
For more information, please see our website, at http://membership.FairLawnARC.org
The Only Newsletter In The World That Gives A Damn About FLARC www.FairLawnARC.org Page 7 Past FLARC Member Profiles Theoretics Demystified
Here is a list of past member features and we welcome your recommendations for new profiles How is an FM signal (modulated) detected? There are several -- including your own. ways. One is a discriminator circuit which uses a transformer which is tuned to the carrier frequency, in this case the IF frequency, as long as the IF is centered the two halves of the Month Name Call Sign tuned transformer are equal and the diodes connected to January 2016 Pete KB2BMX either side of that tuned transformer are equal in amplitude February Marco KC2ZMA and thus produce no output. As the signal is modulated and March Ron KC2TBD varies, the diodes output is unbalanced and an audio or April Kai K2TRW other type of signal results. Remember that the carrier is May Larry WA2ALY frequency modulated. That is that it moves above and below June Dave N8MAR it’s unmodulated carrier frequency, hence FM!
July Steve WI2W There is also a ratio detector which has one of the diodes August Thom W2NZ connected in reverse to a third winding on the tuned September Brian KD2KLN transformer as above. The output is taken across the center October Brad KM2C tap of the transformer and the diodes with a large capacitor November Al WA2OWL which eliminates AM noise from the output. However the December George W3EH output is only half of the discriminator circuit but has a wider January 2017 Fred W2ABE bandwidth and immunity to AM signals.
February Dave KD2MOB Then there is the Quadrature detector where the signal is March Randy WU2S split, one phase shifted by 90 degrees and the two are April Lee KD2DRS compared by a phase detector in such a way so if there is no May Gene WO2W modulation, the output is zero. If there is modulation then June Carol KD2NMV the IC circuit will ‘add’ the signal to the phasing circuit and July Kevin KC2KCC reproduce an output that is a copy of the original signal used August Robert KD2NOG to modulate the FM carrier.
September Robert KD2BKD Lastly and more advanced is the phase locked loop detector October John KD2NRS which uses a voltage controlled oscillator which is locked November Fred W2AAB onto the signal and follows the signals variations. The December Margaret W2GB resulting error voltage that is produced results when the VCO January 2018 Brian KD2OAZ tries to track the frequency changes of the modulated FM February Bennett KO2OK signal becomes the demodulated output. The advantage of a Phase Locked Loop is that it requires no LC network to March Van W2DLT perform this task. That makes it perfect for ultra April Aly ALØY miniaturization, in fact there are a number of ‘FM radios on a May Bruce NJ2BK chip,. There several other types of much less common FM June Dave N2AAM detector designs, but they are not commonly used. July Karl and W2KBF and In HAM radio these designs are used but in most cases they Susan W6SKT are part of a larger scale integration chip and some of those August Steve KA2YRA chips have 200 connections. Things have come a long way since Edwin Armstrong introduced the theory and practical September Paul K2PJC application of FM. October Skip KD2BRV 73, Fred, W2ABE. November Jim W2JC December Tom N2AAX CW Classes Update By the way, Randy (WU2S) has compiled a binder of all back issues of The Resonator and it's located in the club Fred W2AAB and George W3EH report that CW classes office. Thanks Randy!!! will resume on Thursday, February 7 with an approximate Back issues are also available on our website. 6 PM start time. See either one for more details. http://newsletters.fairlawnarc.org
The Onlyhttp://newsletters.FairLawnARC.org Newsletter In The World That Gives A Damn About FLARC www.FairLawnARC.org Page 8
2019 Near and Far Net Check-In's 2019 Member Profiles
Now in its third year, the FLARC Near and Far net is With Volume 4, we begin an new list of featured chugging along each week. Here is list of our check-ins members in a monthly profile. See past profiles beginning on New Year's Night in no particular order. elsewhere in The Resonator to check back in the Mondays at 8PM on the repeater. archives to see each member's background.
Name Call Month Name Call Sign Dave N2AAM January 2019 Dave KD2JIP Gene WO2W February Jim K2ZO Van W2DLT March ?? ?? Karl W2KBF Stan KC2K Ed WX2R Steve WA2BYX 23 And Me On January 14th... Brian KD2KLN A Great Start To The John K2BIX Near and Far Net! Fred W2AAB Bob KD2BKD The club tied a Monday night record of 23 check-ins Randy WU2S set on August 13, 2018 with Dave N2AAM handling Dave KD2JIP duties flawlessly. Larry KD2QFI Steve WI2W 1) David N2AAM (NCS) Brad KM2C 2) Gene WO2W Thom WN2Z 3) Van W2DLT Ron KC2TBD 4) Karl W2KBF Jim W2JC 5) Stan KC2K Dave KD2MOB 6) Ed WX2R Bob KM4CPU 7) Steve WA2BYX Bob KE0OPX 8) Brian KD2KLN Phil KA2SEY 9) John K2BIX Dave NK2Q 10) Fred W2AAB Noel N2OEL 11) Bob KD2BKD Ray KD2RBW 12) Randy WU2S Larry KD2QFI 13) Dave KD2JIP Matt K2FTP 14) Larry KD2QFI Paul K2PJC 15) Steve WI2W Tom WB2KWD 16) Brad KM2C 17) Thom W2NZ Brian KD2OAZ 18) Ron KC2TBD Bob N2HIP 19) Jim W2JC
20) Dave KD2MOB 21) Bob KM4CPU (Vero Beach, FL) 22) Bob KE0OPX (White Mills, PA) 23) Phil KA2SEY (Lehigh Acres, FL)
We are indeed being discovered!! Sixteen check-ins on January 21st!
The Only Newsletter In The World That Gives A Damn About FLARC www.FairLawnARC.org Page 9
Stan Ekiert K3KKH Kicks Off FLARC 2019 Speaker Series
With a crowd of nearly 40 on an "iffy" weather night, Stan Eikert K3KKH conducted a most professional presentation to FLARC members and guests on a home-brew solution to a nagging problem of switching antennas remotely when the antenna is 50 feet or so from the QTH. Add the problems associated with living in an HOA (rules and regs, curious neighbors) and you've got an engineering challenge. Stan's presentation was complete, systematic, and full of hints on planning, design and execution. It was remarked that this presentation drew more questions from the audience than we've ever had and was a night of learning and sharing. See Stan's contribution to the February 2019 issue of QST for more information. Thanks, Stan!!
Stan K3KKH makes a point during the presentation An interested crowd asked many questions!
The near 90 minute presentation Part of the crowed during the introductions showed the project from start to finish.
L TO R: Ed WX2R, Stan K3KKH,Van W2DLT and Brad KM2C Applause for a well-done presentation Tnx Don N2PRT for the pix
The Only Newsletter In The World That Gives A Damn About FLARC www.FairLawnARC.org Page 10 Tech Talk Randy Smith WU2S
Can You Hear Me Now?
Very much like the professional marketing firms, from one of which I borrowed this month’s title, many hams communicate in multiple media. These hams are not just stuck on the HF bands or the local repeater. They are sharing what they know, who they know and what they are interested in learning with the larger amateur radio community through a variety of podcasts and video channels.
Many of their works are high-quality, professional productions. Over the years, I have collected a list of over two dozen of these efforts.
At least one of them will be familiar to FLARC members. Alan Wolke, W2AEW, who is the Technical Coordinator for the Northern New Jersey section, gave a presentation to us last April.
Let’s look at what these producers have to offer. I’ll start this series with an overview of an Australian ham and his audio podcasts Foundations of Amateur Radio1,2. Onno Benschop, VK6FLAB, has delivered over 185 episodes to date and keeps going. He has been an active podcaster since the Summer of 2015.
Onno has a great, soothing voice for radio, a wonderful sense of self-deprecating humor, and that attractive Australian accent. His podcasts are generally short, so you don’t have to commit a lot of time to catch up on his latest thoughts. The typical episode is only 3 to 5 minutes long. There are some that are as short as 30 to 45 seconds – just like a short commercial advertisement. His stories are a nice way to take a short break from whatever else you were doing that day, hear something about ham radio, and maybe have a laugh or two.
His range of interests covers almost everything about ham radio. A sample of his episode titles will give you an idea:
The Reported Death of Amateur Radio Due to FT8 is an Exaggeration – 18 January 2019 Everything You Know About Dipole (Calculators) is Wrong ... – 14 October 2018 Why Do You Contest? – 13 May 2018 How Does PSK or Phase Shift Keying Actually Work? – 20 August 2017 What to Say On-Air? – 7 May 2017 Make Your Own Propagation Map – 25 September 2016 What’s in a Repeater? – 6 March 2016 1000 Hobbies Under One Roof – 30 August 2015
In his “1000 Hobbies …” episode, Onno makes the point that “Said simply, Amateur Radio is a thousand hobbies in one place, each with their own community, their own skills, their own gear, pursuits and club-songs. For some it's the pursuit of making a contact using low power and Morse-code, for the next it's building the key to make that happen, the next person wants to build the radio, the amplifier, the twin-feed, the mast, go camping, etc. etc.”
The Only Newsletter In The World That Gives A Damn About FLARC www.FairLawnARC.org Page 11 Tech Talk Randy Smith WU2S
In the FT8 episode, Onno reports
“ As an overall percentage of contacts, FT8 is by far the most popular. 2018 showed that over 40% of logged contacts were on FT8, CW remains essentially stable at 30% and Phone contacts account for 20% of overall contacts logged on Clublog. What this shows is that amateurs go where the contacts are. When CW worked better than Phone, it became the prominent mode. While CW use stayed the same, and Phone reduced, it was because contacts were being made with PSK and RTTY and other modes. This doesn't reflect the death of a hobby, far from it. It reflects the pragmatic nature of making contacts. You use a mode that's going to work.”
He strongly supports the idea that many different types of contacts are equally valid, whether you are in favor of a particular mode or not.
“No doubt some will decry that these (FT8 contacts) are not real contacts and that exchanging a signal report isn't a real contact. Of course it is. It's just a different contact. Just like a CW contact isn't the same as an SSB contact and glorious AM isn't the same as FM, a contact with FT8 is like any other, it's real, between two stations using radio gear.”
In his episode about dipole calculators, Onno cautions us that “Depending on my desire to use metric or imperial measurements, my dipole will be a different length, because of course electrons move at a different speed if you're not using the metric system.” ;))
Finally, Onno talks about how the fundamental techniques of amateur radio are still found underlying modern communications devices. In his Phase Shift Keying episode, Onno remarks “You might be surprised to learn that these techniques are not only used inside Amateur Radio and PSK31, they're also used in Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Ethernet, RFID and countless other places like remote controls, hard-drives, tape recorders, satellite communications, mobile telephony, etc.”
In every podcast he gives us something to think about. He surely characterizes the best traditions of amateur radio operators everywhere.
So, the next time you need a quick break from your daily routine, and a little ham radio pick-me-up would do the trick, give Onno VK6FLAB a try. You will be glad you did.
73, Randy WU2S
References: 1. Foundations of Amateur Radio - https://tunein.com/podcasts/Talk-Show-Replays/Foundations-of- Amateur-Radio-p1017241/ 2. Foundations of Amateur Radio - http://podcasts.itmaze.com.au/foundations
The Only Newsletter In The World That Gives A Damn About FLARC www.FairLawnARC.org Page 12 Around The Shack Hal Kennedy N4GG My Dream 160 Antenna including Rotating Shack
As the holidays fade and the New Year begins, I have been wondering what to write about. Winter is the time for low band DXing and my thoughts naturally turn to 160 meters, as they do every winter. What can I do to improve my 160 signal? I’m tired of half-measures and putting down more radials, maybe I should go “all-in” with a 160 meter antenna that will make me the loudest station on the band.
Living in a covenant restricted neighborhood, I spend a lot of mental energy dreaming up wire antenna arrays and looking skyward, with envy, at towers, tall light poles, balloons, kites and construction cranes. Hey, wait a minute – construction cranes!
A construction crane would make an ideal boom for a 160 meter Yagi. The height and boom length on the big ones are just right. A director could be put out front, and a reflector to the rear. The “traveler” that runs along the boom could hold the driven element and be moved back and forth to peak up front-to-back or forward gain. This makes great sense – to me. A three element Yagi on 160 meters should do well.
A quick check of my deed restrictions turned up nothing prohibiting construction cranes on the property, unless someone wanted to push the “nuisance” clause. It feels like a winner.
My crane project offers the ability to blaze new paths. How many shacks rotate? That control cab way up there at the top of the crane looks like the perfect place for my shack. The feedline will be nice and short. Those cabs are air conditioned and have plenty of power, plus room for all the gear I will need. Best of all, the shack rotates with the antenna, so all I need for pointing is a Boy Scout compass. How great it will be to actually look out the front windows in the direction of radiation. I'll bet you can almost see Europe from up there. The climb up the ladder could be a challenge; maybe some models have elevators?
Some ancillary equipment will be needed for safe and efficient operation. Working the morning grey line may require some rear-view mirrors, so I can get the rear of the shack aligned with the sunrise. If I interlace some elements for the higher HF bands, I should be able to open any band from up there, but I will need a good pair of sunglasses and some sunscreen when I point my dream Yagi, complete with rotating shack, into the rising sun.
What’s your dream antenna?
Figure 1. The N4GG three element 160 meter Yagi, prior to outfitting Figure 2. A close-up of the rotating shack. If has a nice stiff and relocation to the final site. 480VAC 3 phase power system.
I may need some helpers for the move.
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The Way We Were -- The Art Of The QSL (Part 6) By Fred Belghaus W2AAB
Last month, we explored the artwork of Otto Eppers, W2EA. This month, we continue our look at QSL art, but now we will focus upon original artwork, many examples of which were drawn or painted by hand by the operator, making them unique and sometimes quite remarkable for their originality and beauty.
Image from May, 1926 QST, courtesy ARRL
The history behind the Mount Tom Summit House, a onetime hotel for vacationers, is a curious case of repeated failures. Located on the summit of Mount Tom, the spot has been a favorite radio location for VHF contesters over the years, and the home of at least one amateur FM repeater.
The original Mount Tom Summit House was finished in 1897, but it burned down in 1900, and was replaced by a second building, the one shown on the QSL. Then, that one also burned down in 1929. After the second one burned down, a third building replaced it, but it, too, had a short life. The last Mount Tom Summit House went out of business in 1938, a victim of changing demand and the Great Depression. It has never been rebuilt since. Today, the site where these three ill-fated hotels once stood has been stripped of vegetation, its rocky surface covered with a forest of steel towers supporting mainly microwave links and repeaters. (1)
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From 1926, this non-amateur station, HIK3, was operated by The Barahona Company in the Dominican Republic. That was in the days when USA hams could work non-amateur stations:
The Barahona Company was established in 1916 in New York by American businessmen, through acquisitions of “relatively unpopulated land” as well as “extensive water rights,” forming what became the second largest sugar plantation in the island nation. By 1917, the company owned 10 per cent of all the land in the Province of Barahona, although many of the titles they held to the land were said to be fraudulent. Yet, they prevailed over the native population in the law courts, because they could afford to hire the best lawyers. (2) As in Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico and elsewhere, the monetary interests of American businesses often trump the rights of the local residents.
Note: There is, currently, a different Barahona Company located in California, apparently not related to the company described above.
Another non-amateur QSL follows, from station WNP in 1927, for a QSO with Canadian amateur 3CS in Ontario. WNP (“Wireless North Pole”) was on the schooner Bowdoin, on a voyage for the Rawson- Macmillan Field Museum Expedition.
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Donald B. Macmillan was an alumnus of Bowdoin College in Maine, and he named the schooner he designed in 1921 after his alma mater. The 1927 expedition began with embarkation from Wiscasset, Maine. (3)
There actually were two Rawson-Macmillan expeditions, covering the period 1926 to 1928, the purpose of which was to explore the sub-Arctic region, including the areas of Labrador, Baffin Island, Greenland, Nova Scotia, and Maine. Although much of their work was collecting specimens of fauna and flora, it is claimed in an issue of Science magazine that the 1927 expedition also discovered the remains of the original encampment of the 16th Century English explorer Sir Martin Frobisher, including parts of Frobisher’s house, improvised shipyard and mine pits, where Frobisher and his crew had searched for gold. (4) The assertion made about Frobisher’s settlement, however, cannot be collaborated by other sources.
The operator at WNP, Clifford Elmer Himoe, was licensed in 1927 as 1IK -- later W1IK, W2AW, and W6ENZ, then W2AW again in 1931. (5)
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There were several other arctic expeditions during the 1930s in which amateur radio operators participated. The first was the Norcross-Bartlett Expedition in 1933. The vessel was the schooner Effie M. Morrissey (commonly referred to simply as the Morrissey), under the command of skipper Robert Bartlett. Its purpose was an expedition to Greenland via the Hudson, Fury, and Hecla Straits, on behalf of the American Museum of Natural History, the Museum of the American Indian, the American Geographical Society, and the Navy Department. (6) The call sign of the ship was VOQH, signifying Canadian registry, and many contacts were made with amateurs. The operator was Robert B. Moe, W2UN. The life of the Morrissey, like other vessels operating in the arctic region was a stormy one, figuratively and literally. All told, it made 20 voyages on scientific expeditions from 1926 to 1946, and after Captain Bartlett’s death in 1946, it was sold to two brothers from New York, who intended to embark on a voyage to the South Seas, but this was prevented when the ship suffered extensive damage from a fire in 1947.
The ship was sold to Captain Henrique Mendes, who re-named it Ernestina, and used it for several years to transport goods and immigrants between the Cape Verde Islands and the United States. It continued to provide transport between the Islands until 1974. After some years of neglect, the ship was rebuilt and slated to be returned to the United States, but on its voyage, it suffered severe damage in storms, and had to be returned to Cape Verde. Finally, in 1982, it was again restored, and after a successful voyage, returned to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts as a gift from the President and people of Cape Verde. (7)
In 1934, Captain Bartlett returned to the Morrissey, embarking on the Bartlett-Carpenter 1934 Arctic Expedition. (8) This expedition was an exploration of Northwestern Greenland and Ellesmere Land, on behalf of the Philadelphia Academy of Natural Sciences. (9) The ship’s commercial radio call was WHDA, and its experimental license call was W1ØXDA (10) which made many contacts with amateurs. Much of this activity was recorded in the pages of QST during the 1933 and 1934 period. The operator, again, was W2UN.
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Here are QSLs from the 1933 Norcross-Bartlett Expedition (VOQH), and the 1934 Bartlett-Carpenter Expedition W1ØXDA).
On the reverse side of the W1ØXDA card is a note that the ship was worked off the coast of Greenland, southbound following their arrival at Kane Basin, northern Greenland. The ship was en route to New York, after a scheduled stop in Newfoundland, where Captain Bartlett was to visit his mother. The note was written by Mrs. Robert B. Moe, wife of operator W2UN.
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Another of these arctic voyages to be covered here is the Mac Gregor Arctic Expedition, which operated under the call OX2QY. According to expedition organizer Clifford J. Mac Gregor, a three-masted schooner named Donald II was procured in Newfoundland, reconditioned and retrofitted with a new motor at Port Elizabeth, New Jersey, then re-named Gen. A.W. Greeley in the Spring of 1937. (11) The purpose of the expedition was to:
“…collect weather data from the Polar Basin… make a magnetic survey for the Carnegie Institution in Washington… study the aurora borealis and study its effects on radio transmission… explore the Polar Basin northwest of Ellesmereland, Canada, and to clear up the question of Crocker Land, which Peary placed on the maps more than 30 years ago and which we found to be nonexistent.…” (12)
Here’s their QSL card:
They set sail on July 1, 1937, completing their study and beginning their trip homeward on July 7, 1938. On the journey home, they encountered several storms which caused extensive damage to their vessel, finally arriving back at New York October 4, 1938. (13) The operator of OX2QY was Albert Gerald Sayre, W2QY (14), whose image appears on the QSL at upper left.
Sayre later published an article in QST describing his experiences, (15) which contained a lot of negatives. He described bouts of seasickness, storms, sleeping in a damp and mildewed bunk, wearing clothes also mildewed, fighting endless sub-zero cold in a radio shack that had to be pre-heated before condensation would set in, a gasoline generator that was hard to start because of the cold, and having to keep re- installing the antenna in “howling winds” and temperatures as low as 30 below zero. Other problems included tubes that frosted over with a coating of snow, tools and other metal items that quickly rusted in the salt air, a fire that broke out in the hold of the ship, threatening 3,000 gallons of gasoline, and losing some 4,000 feet of antenna wire that went overboard. (16) You have to admire someone as dedicated to our hobby as Sayre obviously was!
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Here’s a 1939 QSL from Jonkoping, Sweden that is unusual in two ways. The call, SM6RF, is formed out of match sticks, and at upper left is a photo of the famous bell tower of the Habo Kyrka, a wooden church which is a favorite tourist attraction. The interior is filled with fine art paintings and carvings. (17)
Originally built in 1680, it was rebuilt in its present form in 1723. It is unique, having been built to resemble a cathedral in the form of a basilica, but entirely out of wood. Interior paintings, added in 1741 to 1743 depict the catechism of Martin Luther. It is one of four churches depicted on Swedish postage stamps in 2002. (18) <><><><><>
Did you know that, long ago, somebody wrote a song about ham radio? According to a QSL from W1ABQ dating from the early 1930s, there was such a song, and it was called, “The Song of the Shortwave Ham.” The song was written by L.A. Burleigh, 1KE, of Augusta, Maine. Here’s the QSL making this claim:
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The QSL was printed and sold by the “Short Wave Musicians, Inc.,” of Augusta, Maine, who offered copies of the song for 35 cents, for which princely sum they would also supply 50 blank cards like the one above. Online searches have not uncovered a copy of the song.
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Here’s a little mystery for you. The call is W9XYJ, and it is dated 1929. The problem is — there was no such call issued to hams then. What is it, a bootleg operator with a phony call?
The mystery is solved by looking on the other side. It was a printer’s sample card, with prices listed for cards in different quantities. Someone wrote out the card to W8BJQ, perhaps to give it a veneer of authenticity.
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There is nothing new about hams running QRP (low power, typically 5 watts or less). By the early 1930s, it was quite common to see QSLs confirming contacts where the station was running less than 10 watts, sometimes as little as 5 watts to make the contact. Note that in those days, power was expressed in input.
Here are two examples from 1938 from W2KZS, of Stony Point, NY, who later moved to what is now known as Woodland Park, NJ. They confirm contacts on 80 meter CW, the first of which confirms a QSO when he was running 1.5 watts input when working W2GTA of Ramsey.
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In August of the same year, however, operator Jones outdid himself, by working W3HOX while running only 700 milliwatts!
The transmitter used was homemade, using a type 33 tube, a Power-Amplifier Pentode. He ran 135 volts on the plate to get 1.5 watts input (about 800 milliwatts output), and only 80 volts on the plate for 700 millwatts input (about 400 milliwatts output).
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Here’s the official QSL from the New York World’s Fair station in 1939:
One of the most active operators at the station was Art Lynch, W2DKJ, who also sent out his own card while operating from the Communications Pavilion. Lynch would later become well known in amateur circles for numerous technical articles in various ham and radio-electronics magazines, well into the 1960s.
“Alexa,” move over! Your Great Granddad was already talking in 1939 at the Fair. Here’s a remarkable clip of “Elektro,” the 7 foot tall walking, talking, cigarette-smoking robot: https://youtu.be/AuyTRbj8QSA
“Elektro” was built by Westinghouse, using 78 RPM recordings to produce a vocabulary of some 700 words to speak to Fairgoers. It was considered quite a marvel in its day. (19)
RCA demonstrated early black and white television sets with picture tubes ranging in size from 5 to 12 inches. Bell Labs displayed its “Voder,” a mechanized voice simulator that spoke in response to words typed into a keyboard, and IBM displayed one of its earliest computers, using punch cards. (20)
Did you know that there was also an attempted “terrorist” act committed at the Fair? A time-bomb was safely removed from the British Pavilion by several police officers. Unfortunately, as they were removing it from the fairgrounds, it exploded in the face of four officers, killing 2 detectives, critically wounding two others, injuring a patrolman, another detective, and the Captain of the World’s Fair detective force. (21)
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I wasn’t around in 1939 to work the World’s Fair station, but I was around in 1964 to work the ARRL sanctioned New York World’s Fair station, K2US, on 75 meter SSB:
The operator’s call is not given on the other side of the card, but they were running a Hallicrafters HT-32B, HT-33B Linear Amplifier, and an SX-115 Receiver to a dipole antenna. The ham station was sponsored by the Hudson Amateur Radio Council. There was a second ham station located at the 1964 Fair, WA2USA, operated by Wayne Green’s people at 73 Magazine. I do not recall any mention of this station in the pages of QST. Unfortunately, I never worked it. It would have made an interesting collector’s item, as yet another example of Wayne Green poking his finger in the eye of the League.
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The “N” calls are a fairly recent phenomenon, right? Wrong. In the 1930s, and up to 1941, hams who were members of the Naval Reserve were authorized to use the “N” prefix instead of the usual “W” prefix on their calls, provided they only used the “N” prefix on 160 and 80 meters. Here’s an interesting example of such a QSL:
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The actual call was W9AGZ, but he designed his card using maritime signal flags to spell out “N9AGZ.” The colors are a bit faded, but they check out.
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What do you suppose is the strange figure on this 1930 QSL from CX1FC in Uruguay?
I’m not certain, but my guess is that this is an artist’s conception of chupacabras. Chucacabras (Spanish: “goat sucker”) reportedly are mysterious beasts inhabiting various places in Latin America. They vary in size, from that of a dog to a small bear, and have a kind of sharp, spiny feature from the head and neck to the base of the tail, and large, “bug” eyes. They are said to attack livestock and drink their blood. (22) North American biologists dismiss them as merely legendary, or mis-identified mangy dogs. But ask someone from Puerto Rico, where they were first sighted, and you just might get a different answer.
The number of graphic images that inspire QSL designs is almost limitless. Here are a couple of cards that use an uncommon background for their message. The first, from W4FGW in 1947, when operator Ray was stationed in occupied Japan. He uses a 50 Yen banknote for his QSL. The second is more recent, from WA2YLT confirming a QSO in 1970 on 2 meter FM, designed to mimic a dollar bill, but with the operator’s portrait instead of Washington’s:
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Operator Al was one of the early members of the Bergen County FM Association (W2AKR Repeater). The card also thanks me for adding his name to the mailing list for the club newsletter, of which I was once editor.
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Old timers will remember another famous expedition involving amateur radio. It was the Kon-Tiki expedition, organized by Norwegian explorer and ethnographer Thor Heyerdahl, and which took place in 1947. Heyerdahl’s intention for the expedition was to test his theory that South Americans had migrated to Polynesia. The vessel used for the voyage was a raft made chiefly of balsa wood logs. The call sign for the raft was LI2B. Here’s their QSL, which includes a sketch of the raft and line drawings of the two operators:
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The raft’s station used three specially designed waterproof transmitters running only 7 watts, built by W1CTW and W1EHT of the National Company, covering 40/20, 10, and 6 meters, and the receiver was a National NC-173. The operators were non-hams, but probably military radio operators.
Heyerdahl’s theory of migration was later proved partially correct by DNA testing. An award-winning documentary was filmed, and Heyerdahl later wrote a full account of the expedition in book form. (23)
Here’s another clever use of graphics on a card from W3KKK in 1948:
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A bit more unusual than most is this unique card from W4FV, Appomattox, Virginia, in 1947. The picture dates from 1939:
Online searches produce lots of haunted places in and around Appomattox, but no info on the “Haunted House of Appomattox,” as shown on the card. It has probably been razed by now.
As to haunted houses, Chingle Hall, built in 1260 in Lancashire, England, is one of the most famous. Here’s a QSL from GB2CH, a Special Event station operating from there in 1995:
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With the breakout of the Second World War in Europe, most countries shut down all amateur radio operation for the duration. Portugal and Germany in Europe and most of the nations of South America continued to operate, however. German hams were officially ordered to shut down in September, 1939. But shortly thereafter, a number of German stations were permitted to operate as late as 1944. Even more surprising, a small number of select British hams were also allowed to operate until 1944, being assigned special G7 calls. (24)
GM6WD in Glasgow, though, was one of the many made to go QRT in 1939, as shown on this unique QSL:
Here in the U.S.A., amateurs could operate only as part of the War Emergency Radio Service (W.E.R.S.), which was under the direction of the Army, and which later evolved into RACES. Operation was in nets on the 2-1/2 meter band. (25) Here’s an example of a W.E.R.S. Operator’s Permit. (26)
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There was one more scientific expedition undertaken by the Bowdoin using amateur radio. This was the 1949 MacMillan Expedition. Here’s their QSL:
Not much can be discovered about this expedition except that it collected several wildlife specimens, including two polar bears to be stuffed for the Bowdoin College Museum, one white gyrfalcon; that it verified the existence of the Kumlein gull, and that they took Geiger counter readings to determine if any uranium existed on Baffin Island. They found none. (27)
In many countries of Europe, especially those regions predominantly Catholic, the period immediately preceding Lent and its fasting, is a time of celebration and overindulgence known as Carnival. Although the celebrations vary from place to place, in the North Rhine-Westphalia region of Germany, it takes the form of parades and costume balls. (28) In the United States, our equivalent celebration is known as Mardi Gras. Here, with an example, is the QSL of DL3EA from 1958, operator Friedrich Horning decked out in his finest carnival costume:
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Here’s a truly unique QSL from K1LOX in 1963:
W4BQK’s card from 1961 may be history or legend only, but it is unique:
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Here’s a card from Oak Ridge, Tennessee in 1966. If I had a Geiger counter, I’d measure its radioactivity:
Oak Ridge was built in 1942 as the place where nuclear materials were enriched as part of the Manhattan Project, which spawned the creation of the nuclear bombs later dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and which ultimately brought about the end of World War II. (29)
WA8KXB’s 1964 QSL is printed on wallpaper:
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WA4LFO’s QSL from 1964 looks quite ordinary, only it isn’t. It is printed on toilet paper:
That’s enough for this month! Next month: “Radio Ladies,” a look at noteworthy YL hams.
73,
Fred, W2AAB
NOTES: 1) Strahan, Derek, “Mt. Tom Summit House, Holyoke, Mass.,” From: “Lost New England,” Available at: lostnewengland.com/2014/04/mt-tom-summit-house-holyoke-mass-1/ 2) Ayala, Cesar. American Sugar Kingdom – The Plantation Economy of the Spanish Caribbean 1898-1934, Chapel Hill, Univ. of North Carolina Press, 1999, pp. 103 3) “Wiscasset’s Arctic Connection,” Available at: https://www.mainememory.net 4) (Anonymous), “The Rawson-MacMillan Arctic Expedition of Field Museum,” Science, September 30, 1927, pp.295. Available at: science-sciencemag.org/content/66/1709/295.2 (Note: Complete article requires Registration/Paywall) 5) “WNP 1927 The Schooner Bowdoin,” Available at: hamgallery.com/qsl/Maritime/wnp2.htm 6) Wikipedia article: “Effie M. Morrissey,” Available at: https://en.wikipedia/wiki/Effie_M_Morrissey 7) University of Massachusetts Dartmouth Archives and Special Collections – Schooner Ernestina/Effie M. Morrissey Archives…PC16. Available at: https://www.lib.unassd.edu/Sites/default/files/archives/files/PC%2016%20SEEMA&20phot os.pdf 8) Wikipedia article: “Robert Bartlett (explorer),” Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Bartlett_(explorer) 9) “Schooner Ernestina History,” Available at: www.archive.ernestine.org/history/1931.html
The Only Newsletter In The World That Gives A Damn About FLARC www.FairLawnARC.org Page 32 10) “Der Beginn des Amateurfunks in der Arktis und Antarktis” (“The Beginning of Amateur Radio in the Arctic and Antarctic – ‘Bowdoin’ and ‘Morrissey,’ the Legendary Ships”). Available at: dokufunk.org/amateur_radio/contributions/index.php?CID=2011&ID=2877 (English translation available) 11) Wikipedia article: “McGregor Arctic Exped.” Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MacGregor_Arctic_Expedition 12) MacGregor, Clifford J., “The MacGregor Arctic Expedition to Etah, Greenland, July 1, 1937 to October 4, 1938,” Monthly Weather Review, October, 1939, pp. 366-382. Available at: ftp://ftp.library.noaa.gov/docs.lib/htdocs/rescue/mwr/067/mwr-067-10-0366.pdf 13) Ibid. 14) Bartlett, Richard A. The World of Ham Radio 1901-1950, A Social History, McFarland & Co., 2007, pp. 180 15) Sayre, Gerald, W2QY, “Ham at 30 Below,” QST, January, 1939 pp. 9-12, 106 16) Ibid. 17) (Anonymous), “This Church is a Gem,” From: Trip Advisor. Available at: https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g189847-d3957226-r383996216- Habo_Kyrka-Jonkoping_Jonkoping_County.htm 18) Wikipedia article: “Habo Church,” Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Habo_Church 19) Wikipedia article: “Elektro,” Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elektro 20) Wikipedia article: “1939 New York World’s Fair,” Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1939_New_York_World%27s_Fair 21) (Anonymous), “Police Die In Blast; Timed Device Explodes After It Is Taken Out of Pavilion – 5 Hurt, 21 Suspects Seized – City-Wide Round-up Is On – Entire Force Is Mobilized For Duty,” New York Times, July 5, 1940 22) Wikipedia article: “Chupacabra,” Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chucacabra 23) (Anonymous), “’Most Unusual Expedition’ Ever to Rely on Amateur Radio Ended 67 Years Ago,” ARRL Website, Available at: www.arrl.org/news/most-unusual-expedition-ever-to- rely-on-amateur+radio-ended-67-years-ago 24) (Anonymous), “German and British Amateur Radio Stations on The Air During WW2,” Available at: onetuberadio.com/2014/12/03/herman-and-british-amateur-radio-stations- on-the-air-during-ww2/ 25) Op cit., Bartlett, pp. 207 26) Ballantine, Bob (W8SU), “War Emergency Radio Service Operator Permit,” Available at: https://hamgallery.com/gallery/W/w0iii.htm 27) Hennessey, Mark W., “MacMillan Reports No Sign of Uranium In Sub-Arctic,” Portland (Maine) Press Herald, September 16, 1949, pp. 1, Available at: https://newspaperarchive.com/portland-press-herald-sep-16-1949-p-1/ 28) Wikipedia article: “Carnival in Germany, Switzerland and Austria,” Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carnival_in_Germany_Switzerland_and_Austria 29) (Anonymous), “Oak Ridge, TN,” From: Atlantic Heritage Foundation, Available at: https://www.atomicheritage.org/location/oak-ridge-tn
The Only Newsletter In The World That Gives A Damn About FLARC www.FairLawnARC.org Page 33 Fair Lawn RACES Profile (Continued) Nobel Laureate Joe Taylor K1JT Highlights March 15th FLARC The volunteer efforts of our members are very much 2019 Speaker Series -- appreciated. All of the events noted above could not "Beyond FT8" have happened without you.
Our monthly meetings usually take place right after the FLARC is honored to have as it's March speaker FLARC business meeting. Please join us for the next FL- Joe Taylor K1JT who will speak on "Beyond FT8." RACES meeting. The talk will be held on Friday, March 15 at 7PM at the Fair Lawn Senior Center, 11-05 Gardiner If you are interested in joining the Fair Lawn RACES, Road in Fair Lawn. All are welcome and please contact me. You don't have to be a Fair Lawn refreshments will be served. resident to be a part of Fair Lawn RACES. Joe Taylor was first licensed as KN2ITP in 1954, and For information regarding Bergen County RACES, please has since held call signs K2ITP, WA1LXQ, W1HFV, go to http://www.bcnjraces.org. VK2BJX and K1JT. He was Professor of Astronomy at the University of Massachusetts from Thank you very much. See you soon and 73. 1969 to 1981 and since then Professor of Physics at Princeton University, serving there also as Dean of the Faculty for six years and retiring in 2006. David KD2MOB He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1993 for discovery of the first orbiting pulsar, leading to observations that established the In A Nutshell existence of gravitational waves. After retirement he has been busy developing and enhancing
digital protocols for weak-signal communication The Fair Lawn Amateur Radio Club has started the year by Amateur Radio, including JT65, WSPR, and with a great speaker, Winter Field Day, and a great and FT8. He chases DX from 160 meters through the productive QSO party due to the many hours and talents microwave bands. of those who updated the antennas on the roof of the building that we are privileged to be in. Joe's full autobiographical statement is on the
Nobel Foundation web site: We are the premier and now largest amateur radio club in the state (in paid memberships) due to the hard https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/physics/1993/ work of our publicity committee and membership taylor/biographical/ services person.
Plus the many friendly and knowledgeable members who are eager to help, exchange ideas and offer assistance if needed.
This is just the beginning of the year so there are many exciting activities and events to come such as our monthly speakers, Earth day special event station at the Great Falls in Paterson plus many other events to follow. Hope to see you at the Club!!!
73, Fred, W2ABE. Joe Taylor K1JT
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Minutes Of Fair Lawn RACES At Deadline Meeting On 1 February 2019 A number of FLARC members have incorporated a new ARES group for Fair Lawn. See the minutes of Present: David KD2MOB, Randy WU2S, Jim KD2KLC, Brian Fair Lawn RACES and more details to follow. KD2KLN, Ed WX2R, Karl W2KBF at 8:35 PM.
Zach KC2RSS participated by phone. Steve KA2YRA was honored to earn status as QRP David KD2MOB reviewed the FL-RACES activities from the ROVER FIRST PLACE - PASSAIC COUNTY In the last few weeks, including our hosting of the BC-RACES net 2018 edition of the New Jersey QSO party. on two occasions. We will host the County RACES net Congrats Steve! again on the 4th Wednesday in March (March 27). Karl W2KBF announced the addition of a mini David expects to be out of town on Feb. 13 and needs fox hunt in collaboration with the year's joint FLARC- someone to act as NCS for the FL-RACES net on that date BARA Portable Day event. This event would be a and to check in to the BC-RACES net on behalf of Fair very easy introduction to Radio Direction Finding Lawn. (RDF) and would be done COMPLETELY ON FOOT, as Ed WX2R has received the FL-RACES shirts. These were is done in Europe. The plan is to hide the Fox distributed after the meeting. somewhere within the confines of Memorial Park and Memorial Middle School. This plan would David expects that we will participate/support the permit those new to the activity with only a 2 meter Memorial Day parade and other public service events in HT to practice finding the Fox using simple Fair Lawn, but as members of ARES, not RACES. techniques, e.g. body fade, hubcap shielding, foil- covered toilet paper tubes, etc. This provided a segue for Randy WU2S to review the rationale for the formation of Fair Lawn ARES. In brief, it More experienced hunters could demonstrate their will facilitate our participation in non-emergency Public Service Events, if invited by the Borough, that we could fancy stuff and talk up the BARA Foxhunt. See Karl not support as members of FL-RACES. for more details.
Randy distributed draft documents for the formation of Fair Lawn ARES: Constitution, By-Laws and a 3 year February 2019 Near and Far Net training plan. Following a discussion, we voted unanimously to approve the documents and elected the Controls following FL-ARES officers: David KD2MOB, President Steve WA2BYX, Vice-President, Ed WX2R, Treasurer Here is the roster for net controls for the upcoming Randy WU2S, Secretary, Karl W2KBF, Director month as reported by Brian KD2KLN:
As newly elected FL-ARES Secretary, Randy was asked to send a letter to NNJ SEC John Wyatt W2VTV and Bergen Date Net Control County DEC Gordon Beattie W2TTT (with CC: to Rob February 4 Dave N2AAM Roschewsk KA2PBT) announcing the formation of this February 11 Brian KD2KLN group and asking for the appropriate EC appointments February 18 Open TBD from these ARRL officials. February 25 Ed WX2R
David then reviewed upcoming training, e.g. ICS and The Near and Far Net now averages close to Blood Borne Pathogens and reminded everyone to sign up 20 check-ins on an average week! Cool beans. for ARES-Connect NNJ.ARRL.ORG/CONNECT and to participate in the NNJ ARES net on the WS2Q (Morris County) repeater. Karl W2KBF reminded the group that he But we need more volunteers to be net controls -- if is looking to be replaced as FL-RACES Secretary as he everyone takes their turn it's less burden on the winds down commitments in Northern New Jersey. Randy others. And it's easy. Volunteer -- don't wait to be volunteered to fill in as Secretary when Karl is not asked (unless you really want to be flattered). available. David closed the meeting at 9 PM.
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President's Message (Continued) February 2019 Meeting Notes
FLARC Business Meeting Minutes • 1 February 2019 The club participated in Winter Field Day this year.
Last year we gave the concept a shot and it was President Brad KM2C called the meeting to order at 7:31 p.m. popular enough that the club membership wished to The members rose and recited the Pledge of Allegiance. participate again in 2019. The event went from 2PM Saturday till 2PM Sunday. It was well supported and it Secretary Randy WU2S called the roll of officers and appears we more than doubled our score from last trustees and all except Vice-President Van and year. Thank you to all who participated. Treasurer Al were present. The meeting had a quorum to conduct club business. Friday February 15th Ed W2XR will present the yearly club survey. I am excited to see the results and hope President Brad KM2C asked if there were any visitors or the board can continue to steer in the direction the new members present. Rob KA2PBT, our Northern New membership is looking to head. Jersey Section Manager, was present.
Secretary Randy WU2S announced that the minutes Brad KM2C from the January meeting were sent to all members of FLARC President record and published in the club’s newsletter, The Resonator, which is on the club’s website at http://newsletters.FairLawnARC.org . He asked the A Contest Award For FLARC! members present if there were any corrections or amendments needed. There were none so John W2JLH One of the highlights of the February business meeting moved to accept the minutes as published and Brian was the presentation of the 2018 NJ QSO Party plaque KD2KLN seconded the motion. The motion passed by for winning the NNJ section of the contest. Sponsored acclamation. by ARRL NNJ Section Manager Rob Roschewsk KA2PBT, it was presented to many of the FLARC Secretary Randy WU2S presented this month’s members who operated N2J, our special event call for Treasurer’s Report. Judith KC2LTM moved to accept the the contest. report as read and Brian KD2KLN seconded the motion. The motion passed by acclamation. President Brad KM2C asked if there was any old business to discuss and there was none.
President Brad KM2C called upon Secretary Randy WU2S to report for the Tech Committee. Randy reminded members that we now have signup sheets at each operating position for using the radios. If you are unfamiliar with the equipment or would like assistance, ask one of the trustees or an officer for help. Since we are starting to open the club on Thursday evenings, there are more opportunities to improve your operating skills. Randy told the members that the
Rob KA2PBT presents FLARC with the 2018 NJ QSO Party weekend contests we participate in are good events to NNJ section plaque learn HF radio skills. Trustee Skip KD2BRV is responsible for operating position #1, Jim W2JC for operating position #2 (digital modes), and Don N2PRT for operating position #4. Brad KM2C will help members who wish to use the older Kenwood HF radio at operating position #5. Brad reminds us that this Kenwood does not work like more modern rigs and that you should seek his guidance before using it. Continued on next page.
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February 2019 Meeting Notes, cont'd February 2019 Meeting Notes, cont'd
President Brad KM2C asked for a report from the President Brad KM2C asked for a report on our Publicity Committee. Ed WX2R reported that at our website and blog. Jim W2JC reported that he added February 15 lecture he will present the results from this a new feature which automatically generates Twitter year’s FLARC membership survey. This presentation will tweets every time there is a new blog posting. These be in the Teen Lounge at the Community Center and tweets also appear on our website in the upper left- not at the Senior Center. hand corner. Jim reminded members that you can read the blog at http://blog.FairLawnARC.org. He Ed WX2R announced that our guest speaker on remarked that we are up to 568 blog posts but only March 15 will be Joe Taylor K1JT. He will talk about FT8 have 38 followers. We average 30 to 33 hits daily on - one of the most recent digital modes that has become the blog and 44 hits daily on the website. There were very popular on ham radio on both HF and VHF. 128 downloads of our newsletter, The Resonator, in January. You can get the newsletter at Ed WX2R said that our guest speaker on April 19 will be http://newsletters.FairlawnARC.org. John Hale KD2LPM, who was a recent Hudson Division Amateur of the Year. His topic is about recruiting young President Brad KM2C remarked that it is not too people in a Queens high school and is titled "The early to start thinking about the June Field Day Garden School ARC and Developing Young Hams." John event. He said that we are in good shape for is bringing two faculty members who can describe the antennas and gear based on our recent experience. program in detail. We need to find people soon who will take on the responsibilities for organizing the various Ed WX2R said that our guest speaker in May will be components of the event. Send Brad or any of the Tom N2YTF, who will present his experiences while officers an email indicating which Field Day tasks you operating Summits on the Air (SOTA). We do not yet will organize. have a firm date for this lecture. President Brad KM2C said that we opened the club Ed WX2R announced that our guest speaker in June will for the first time on Thursday yesterday, January 31. be Tim Duffy K3LR (to be confirmed) and received Only 4 people attended the inaugural soldering class. applause from the members present. President Brad KM2C asked for an update on the CW (Morse code) classes. Fred W2AAB said that he and Ed WX2R noted that we approved a Great Falls Earth George W3EH will begin conducting the classes on Day event, but we do not yet have a firm date for it. Thursday evenings shortly. Fred will send an email to Jim W2JC announced that he has obtained the special all FLARC members announcing the schedule. He said event call sign W2E again this year for this event. that all members are welcome to attend. In order to accommodate everyone, he and George will run two Ed WX2R asked ARRL NNJ Section Manager Rob sessions weekly on Thursday – one from 6:00 pm to Roschewsk KA2PBT to come forward and present an 7:00 pm, and a second session from 7:00 pm to 8:00 award plaque to FLARC. Rob said that we won the top pm. scoring award for the NNJ Section in the recent New Jersey QSO Party. We used the special call sign N2J Jim W2JC announced that he is receiving several for this event. Our total score was 25137 which was email “bounces” (undeliverable email) from some over 35% more points that the second-place station members. He asked that all members check their in NNJ. The FLARC contest operators and SM Rob email address in the FLARC roster and update it if KA2PBT posed for a picture to commemorate needed. [The FLARC roster is available in the Files receiving this award. section of our groups.io web area at http://FairLawnARC.groups.io ] addresses and that members let us know if they haven’t seen any email from FLARC in the last week. Continued in next column. Continued on next page.
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February 2019 Meeting Notes, cont'd February 2019 Meeting Notes, cont'd
President Brad KM2C reminded all members that FLARC President Brad KM2C announced that he installed his communicates a lot of its information via email, so it is UHF DMR repeater at the club. It is networked, so important for all members to make sure that we have members can access other DMR talk groups. valid email addresses and that members let us know if He shared the following UHF DMR Repeater they haven’t seen any email from FLARC in the last week. information in an earlier email to all members:
Don N2PRT asked about the plans for the next soldering TX: 446.750 MHz class. President Brad KM2C responded that he will put RX: 441.750 MHz the dates on the club calendar shortly. He says we are CC: 1 likely to hold these classes several times through the TS1: TG 9 (Local/Reflector) year’s end. He described the types of soldering kits that TS2: TG 310015 (KM2C TG) will be used for hands-on practice. Please leave TS2 on 310015. If you want to Ron KC2TBD asked if members attending the class need experiment with other TG, please only do this to bring their own soldering iron. Brad KM2C replied on TS1. Please send TS4000 to TS1 after you that he didn’t think that was necessary since the club are done using that TS so it doesn't remain has, or will obtain, enough irons and only a few people active on a possibly high-use TalkGroup. at a time will be actively soldering. I am trusting in the users to follow these President Brad KM2C recounted the highlights from the rules; if they are not followed the repeater recent Winter Field Day event. He said that we received will be disabled. all 6000 bonus points for the operation. This included making 3 satellite contacts. Our final score will be about If you have a DMR radio and need double last year’s score. Brad showed a short video of programming, please ask and if I am not the installation of ground rods in the frozen earth using available there are a few other members a heavy-duty hammer drill. who are familiar with DMR programming. If you are interested in DMR contact me and I President Brad KM2C said that Vice President Van will either help or find someone to help you W2DLT will organize the Garretson Forge 300th with your questions/issues. anniversary event and the Great Falls Earth Day event. Jim W2JC indicated that he has already reserved the President Brad KM2C announced that the Council special event call sign W2G for this event, and a special filled the new role of Quartermaster. The QSL card has been designed. responsibilities are:
President Brad KM2C asked for a report on the Be responsible for club property and keep W2NPT Monday Night Near & Far net. Ed WX2R accurate records of being checked out/in responded that we are averaging nearly 20 check- from the club ins weekly. Brian KD2KLN said that we need FLARC members to take on the net controller’s Shall report missing, damaged, unreturned duties to keep this running smoothly. There is a equipment to the board white board for net control signups in the FLARC workshop hanging on the equipment cabinet. You Keep maintenance records and schedules on can also email Brian [at [email protected]] if serviceable equipment in club room you want to volunteer. We have a standard net control script, so this is an easy task to do. Keep maintenance records and schedules for equipment on club’s exterior to include Brian reminded members that you can check into the antennas, rotators, cables, towers. Monday Night Net via Echolink if you are out of the Continued on next page. direct reach of the W2NPT repeater.
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February 2019 Meeting Notes, cont'd February 2019 Meeting Notes, cont'd
President Brad KM2C said that Brian Cirulnick KD2KLN The full story can be found on the FLARC blog at volunteered and the Council appointed him to this https://wp.me/p3S055-HG role. The Council plans to add this role and its definition to the FLARC By-laws later in the year. John W2JLH asked about the recent changes to legal counsel at the ARRL. Ria N2RJ described the changes Ed WX2R reminded members that their 2019 FLARC in responsibilities. More information can be found in dues need to be paid if they have not already done so. the ARRL Board of Directors minutes at He asked if we have a firm date for the FLARC-BARA http://bit.ly/ARRL_BoD_2019-01 combined club Portable Day. Steve WI2W replied that it would be in May. Rachel AJ4WD responded as a Secretary Randy WU2S asked about the contents of BARA officer that she would have a date by next the final report on the ARES Strategic Plan. Ria N2RJ week. Gene WO2W volunteered to obtain the permit noted that she hasn’t thoroughly reviewed it yet but for Memorial Park for this event. will do so soon, and then post it on the Hudson Division website at https://hudson.arrl.org/ Karl W2KBF announced that he will conduct a transmitter fox hunt during the Portable Day Having no further business, President Brad KM2C activities. Karl demonstrated the “fox” low-power FM asked for a motion to adjourn. John W2JLH so moved transmitter and briefly described techniques for and Dave N2AAM seconded the motion. The finding it. He explained that his activity will cover members present voted in favor and the meeting was relatively short distances and all on foot. Subsequent adjourned at 8:29 p.m. to the meeting, Karl submitted additional information: Respectfully submitted, Randy WU2S, Secretary The Fox Hunt will be on 2-meter FM, at a frequency of 146.565 MHz. This is not a typo: Frequency will be on the simplex splinter channel of 146.565 MHz unless someone gives CW Classes To Resume me a compelling reason to do otherwise. My Due to frequent interruptions caused by monthly rationale for announcing this activity so far in meetings, guest speakers, and other club activities on advance of Portable Day is to give club Fridays, the CW classes will get a reboot, starting this members who want to design and build Radio Thursday, February 7th. There will be 2 sessions, so Direction Finding (RDF) antennas plenty of everyone interested may attend. notice, and they will want to know the relevant frequency. First session from 6:00 to 7:00 with George, W3EH Second session from 7:00 to 8:00 with Fred, W2AAB President Brad KM2C gave the floor to our ARRL Hudson Division Director Ria Jairam N2RJ for her All are welcome, but it is suggested that anyone remarks. Ria N2RJ briefly described her attendance at wishing to attend practice at home, first. the recent ARRL Board of Directors meeting. She noted that one of her first actions as a Director was to CW Classes will always be on Thursdays from now on. introduce a motion to award the 2018 Bill Leonard The club will also be open for other activities on W2SKE Professional Media Award for Video Reporting Thursdays starting at 6:00 pm. to Andrew Schmertz and NJTV for its outstanding coverage of the February 23-24, 2018 HamSCI Many thanks to the FLARC Board for approving this conference at NJIT. additional night for the club to be open, and to all those who have already been attending and supporting our CW classes. Continued in next column. DE Fred W2AAB
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Past FLARC Member Profiles Winter Field Day (2)
Here is a list of past member features and we welcome your recommendations for new profiles -- including your own.
Month Name Call Sign January 2016 Pete KB2BMX February Marco KC2ZMA March Ron KC2TBD April Kai K2TRW May Larry WA2ALY June Dave N8MAR July Steve WI2W August Thom W2NZ
September Brian KD2KLN October Brad KM2C November Al WA2OWL December George W3EH January 2017 Fred W2ABE February Dave KD2MOB March Randy WU2S April Lee KD2DRS May Gene WO2W June Carol KD2NMV July Kevin KC2KCC Matt W2FTP and Bennett KO2OK hang dipoles August Robert KD2NOG September Robert KD2BKD October John KD2NRS November Fred W2AAB December Margaret W2GB January 2018 Brian KD2OAZ February Bennett KO2OK March Van W2DLT April Aly ALØY May Bruce NJ2BK June Dave N2AAM Inside the chilly but comfortable tent July Karl and W2KBF and Susan W2SKT August Steve KA2YRA September Paul K2PJC October Skip KD2BRV November Jim W2JC December Tom N2AAX By the way, Randy (WU2S) has compiled a binder of all back issues of The Resonator and it's located in the club office. Thanks Randy!!! Back issues are also available on our website. http://newsletters.fairlawnarc.org Snowflake brownies TNX to W2JLH's XYL Elsa !
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Remember When? Position 5: What's Old Is New Again... Paul W2IP reports that the dipole support from our old And Back On The Air! club location on River Rd. still survives after 40+ years.
The pole and pulley are still there after all these years! A Kenwood TS-830s station has been set up on Station 5 in the club. There will be some finalization to the RF connection to it, right now it is borrowing the Icom 2800 RF connector and has been labeled as such on the patch panel.
The Kenwood TS-830s is an early-mid 80s hybrid rig that uses solid state components for receive and tube components for the final stage of the transmitter (hence Hybrid). This requires the user to tune up the radio for transmit and receive since the Drive control (pre-selector) is common to both paths.
If you are interested in operating the station please consult with someone very familiar with tuning up the Kenwood TS-830s. The radio can be damaged if the procedure is not followed correctly. I am willing to give hands on demonstrations for the tune-up procedure and I know there are a few other club members who have owned or still own this radio who would be willing to help too.
FLARC dipole mast remains at the Old Library Theatre location A big thanks to Glenn KB2MDR for the donation to the club!
DE Brad KM2C FLARC Talks FLARC At The Fair Lawn Knights of Pythias
On January 18 Ed WX2R had the opportunity to address the Fair Lawn Knights of Pythias and put on a demonstration of amateur radio and a lively discussion about the club.
A big thanks to Steve WA2BYX who answered Ed's call on the repeater and had the audience of 40+ members fascinated by the QSO and hobby and which led to a great discussion about how we've grown and what we do in the Fair Lawn community. We've extended an invitation to the group to visit the club and we know we'll continue the friendship at this year's Independence John W2JLH at the controls at Position 5 Day fireworks.
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